Remember
by BrokenShardss
Summary: Faith&Dean. Crossover with BtVS. Faith finds out about Dean's deal, and is prepared to stop it at any cost. Spoilers for the end of season 2 and on.


_The world was coming to an end. At least, that was how Faith pictured it._

_Thousands of demons escaping from hell-- that was just plain easy. But this... this was much worse._

---

Her face was buried deep into his chest with her limbs tangled haphazardly through his own. It was comfortable. Safe, even. She had never been like this with anyone before, and it terrified her.

Dean's strong body shook violently and he woke with a start. Finally free from his nightmare, he looked down at the girl by his side and lowered his head to press a gentle kiss to her temple. She had come back to help his sorry ass save the world yet again. But even after the threat was over, she stuck around, and he was glad. He found himself needing her presence, needing her warmth.

Even so, he couldn't bring himself to tell her.

She felt him leave without waking. Yet she could still hear his every move.

Walking out of the bedroom, Dean found himself face to face with his brother. "What do you want, Sammy?" He pushed by his brother's large frame and grabbed a beer from the fridge.

"Are you ever gonna tell her?" His trademark look of worry was plastered all over his face. "I could hear you in there. It's happening, isn't it?"

"Sam, you know I can't." Dean shook his head sorrowfully. "I know that girl inside and out, and I know that she would stop at nothing to fix this. I won't let her carry that guilt."

"And you think I don't? You did this for me, Dean, and it's bad enough that I'm losing you, but I don't think I can bear her pain too."

"Sam there's no way out of this. Either I die, or you do. She'll be losing someone no matter what." Dean felt his heart sink. He knew Faith had lost enough people for a lifetime.

"Maybe she could help. Find a loophole, a way to escape without breaking the rules." The hope in his voice was more than evident.

"I'm not putting her through that! I chose this Sam. I just want to spend what time I have left with her." Dean's chest was heaving with emotion that he rarely let himself show.

Sam scoffed loudly. "Well how is Faith going to feel when you're dead and she didn't have a clue?"

"What?" Brown curls whipped around wildly as Faith made her presence known. "Somebody want to tell me what the hell is going on?"

Dean reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Faith..."

"No, Dean, I wanna know why the hell your brother just said that you're gonna die." She moved closer to Dean, the moonlight reflecting off her bare legs left uncovered by his large t-shirt. "Please tell me that he was joking."

Dean swallowed visibly. "I wish he was."

Faith's eyes widened with fear as she looked back and forth between Dean and Sam. "You--you're serious."

Dean slowly extended a hand to brush against her cheek. "I'm sorry."

Faith pulled away as if she was burned. "Why?" She asked incredulously. "And for that matter, how?!"

"Sam was dead, Faith. He died in my arms. I had to get him back." He gauged the reaction in her eyes before continuing. "I went to a crossroads demon. Requested the usual price, but I'm too much of a hot item, I suppose."

She clamped down on her lip to prevent the tears. "How long?"

"A year... but only about a week left now."

"A week? No, no, you can't... Damn it, Dean! Only a week?" She closed her eyes tightly, trying to process everything.

"Faith, I should've told you before... but there was no way out of this. If I tried, Sam would've died."

She was about to respond when she picked up on something he said. "If _you_ tried... that doesn't mean I can't."

He shot out an arm and firmly grasped her wrist. "No, Faith, I won't let you."

"Funny how I don't remember you having the authority to tell me what to do." She smirked arrogantly and pulled her arm away. She grabbed an errant pair of jeans and slid them on.

"Faith," Dean warned her.

"You can't stop me."

Sam finally stepped in. "Faith, maybe you shouldn't."

Faith shot him an angry glare. "Look, I'm sorry you died, really I am, but if I have anything to say about it, both of the Winchester pains in my ass are going to live. Understand?"

Sam nodded slowly and just watched as she stormed out of the room.

Dean groaned and sunk into the nearest chair. "That girl is gonna get me killed even sooner."

---

Faith sighed and stared around at the four conjoining roads. "Come on, come on... Giles wouldn't let me down..."

Suddenly a petite blonde-haired woman appeared, causing Faith to chuckle harshly at the similarities the girl shared with a certain slayer.

"You would look like her. Always knew she'd be the death of me." Faith shook her head in amusement.

"Oh, Faithy... So many demons in your head." The Buffy look-a-like grinned wickedly and her eyes flashed red.

"Yeah, there are. So if you think you can get in there with your psycho-babble, you should probably think again. I'm out of vacancies." Faith smiled in return, mustering as much ignorance as she could.

"Let me guess, you're here about a certain delicious demon hunter. Am I right?"

Uncontrollable jealousy and possessiveness rose up in her chest. "You can't have him."

The demon laughed maliciously. "Sweetie, he's already mine."

Faith tried her damnedest not to look scared. "Then do a trade."

"I really think I've had enough of those for an eternity."

"Take me in his place." Faith walked until she was face to face with the demon.

"What could you possibly give me that Dean couldn't?" Her persistent grin was still plastered on her bubble-gum cute face.

"A slayer for a hunter. Sounds like a pretty even trade to me."

The girl's grin finally wavered. "I'm not big on martyrs, honey."

Faith managed to suppress a growl. "Then what do you want?"

The blonde burst out in smiles again. "Your body."

Faith's eyebrows shot up in confusion. "What?"

"I already get your soul, but I want your body. With your powers, any demon that sets up shop in your body will be unstoppable." She looked pensive for a moment before the pure excitement flooded her face again. "Not to mention you'd be the perfect weakness for our boys."

"But Dean would live, right? If I let you do whatever you want with me, you'll leave him alone?" Faith's voice was colored with hesitation.

"Of course." The thing slid behind Faith's back and whispered in her ear. "You wouldn't want your boyfriend to burn, now would you?"

Those words were all it took to push her over the edge. "What do I have to do?"

"Just seal it with a kiss."

Faith rolled her eyes. "This is so twisted." As she closed her eyes all that went through her mind was the image of Dean's face.

---

The sound of the door creaking open made Dean lurch from his seat. "Faith?"

Hearing his voice almost broke her heart. "Yeah, it's me."

Dean ran over to her and lifted her up to kiss her passionately. "Faith, I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. But now you're back and we--"

Faith pressed a finger to his lips to silence him. "I fixed everything."

Terror pulsed through his veins and his eyes widened in shock. "What did you do?" His voice suddenly dropped an octave, losing its happy tone.

"You have to listen to me, okay? As soon as I'm gone, I need you to burn my body. You can't let--"

"Gone?" He latched onto her upper arms and squeezed tightly. "Faith, what happened?"

She blinked furiously to hold back the tears. "Dean, I can't lose you. I couldn't let you die."

"No, no, Faith, I'm supposed to be dead! You can't just..." He bit down on his lip. "What the hell is the matter with you? I was trying to protect you from all this!"

"You need to listen to me. I don't have much longer." She took a deep breath. "Once you're sure I'm gone, torch my body."

Dean looked like he was going to throw up. "I can't do that."

"You have to! They'll take my body, and I don't want some demon inside of me!"

Dean sucked in a shaky breath. "I'm not letting you die for me."

"It's already done. Just promise me." She reached out her hand to touch his cheek gently.

"I'm sorry. But I can't." He grabbed on to her extended arm and flipped her to the floor.

Faith landed hard on her back and glared up at him. "What the hell, Dean?"

He twisted her arm until he could grab both of her wrists in his hand.

"Dean, get off me. I don't want to hurt you." She thrashed violently against him.

Dean just continued to work and tied her hands tightly together. He lifted her to her feet and was met with a hard kick to the groin.

"Untie me. This isn't going to make a difference!" She shot out her foot again, only to be stopped in mid air.

Dean dropped her suspended foot and yanked her head forward to kiss her. As he broke apart from her lips, he whispered, "I love you."

Frozen momentarily from shock, Faith didn't even notice the fist flying towards her until it collided with her face.

---

When she finally woke up, Faith was tied securely to a chair, surrounded by a circle of rock salt. She searched the room frantically with her eyes until she located her target. "Dean!"

He reluctantly looked up to meet her gaze. "You're awake."

"Yeah, after a nice lack of consciousness." The venom in her voice was more than apparent, as she intended.

"I had to stop you somehow."

Faith quickly glanced at the clock by the bed. The bright red light flashed 11:59. "No, no. Dean, you need to untie me right now!"

"Sorry, babe." He sounded so flippant; it almost was upsetting for Faith to hear.

She watched as the clock blinked and changed time. "You can't keep me in here forever! They'll get me eventually."

Both hunters turned their heads toward the door as the sound of barking echoed through the room.

"Dean, come on!" Faith listened as the barking grew louder. She decided to try a new tactic. "Sam! Sammy, help me! Dean's gone crazy!"

Dean chuckled at her unsuccessful attempt. "He's not here."

"You can't stop this! Those dogs are here for--" Faith was cut off by a crash, signaling the door being broken down. She snapped her head around to look, expecting large black dogs, but there was nothing. "Why can't I see them? They're here for me!" Her voice wavered from fear.

Dean swallowed the lump in his throat as he stared down the dogs. "I can see them just fine."

Faith's eyes widened and she rocked back and forth in her chair, trying to break free. "Damn it! He still has another week! You're supposed to be taking me!"

"I guess you got double crossed." Dean smiled sadly at her.

"No!" Silent tears streamed down her face. "This is my fault."

"Faith, it's supposed to happen this way, alright? It's not your fault." The determined look he wore quickly faded as he was tackled to the floor.

"Dean!" Faith watched as long gashes ripped down his body, her vision slowly getting cloudier from all the tears. "No, please! Stop, please, stop."

A voice suddenly filled Faith's head, drowning out Dean's cries of pain. _I should've taken your offer. But some things can't be undone._ The voice laughed malevolently. _Course, I wish they could... considering two for the price of one is so much better._

Faith shook her head, trying to focus on Dean instead of this demonic voice.

But the voice persisted, saying the words that made Faith's blood run cold. _I mean, what could be more precious than the soul of a Winchester baby?_

Faith forcefully shoved her chair backwards, smashing it on the floor. She pulled her hands from the ropes and rushed over to Dean's bleeding form.

"Dean? Dean, look at me." She cradled his head in her palms, but he was no longer moving. "Come on, damn it. Don't you die on me, Winchester." Harsh sobs racked through her body as she leaned down to rest her forehead against his. "We're gonna have a baby. And I can't do it alone." She bit down on her lip to stop it from quivering. "You always took care of Sam; you know how to do this. I don't know how to be a mom." Gently, she pressed her lips to his in a soft kiss. "Why'd you have to make me fall in love with you, huh? Why'd you go and die when I need you the most?" Faith sighed, wanting more than anything for him to wake up so she could rip him a new one. But he didn't wake up.

Faith slid across the floor until her back hit the bed, and rested against it while she hauled Dean's body into her lap. She stayed there, eyes closed and hands weaved through his hair, until Sam finally got back.

She remembers the sting of hot water searing through her clothes to her skin as Sam cleaned off the blood. Dean's blood. She remembers the hitting and the screaming, and the tears of exhaustion. Then she remembers sleep. Cool, comforting sleep in the big empty bed.

---

Faith woke with a start. The room seemed different. No musty curtains or stained carpet. Had Sam moved her to some other place? A loud wail broke her musing, and she shot out of bed to locate the noise. She trudged across the room until she stubbed her toe on something. A... cradle? There was a baby here. That was the sound. Before she could stop herself, she whispered aloud, "Is this some kind of joke?"

Something else stirred in the room. Faith wanted to investigate, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the mysterious baby. Excruciatingly slowly, she reached down and lifted the baby into her arms. She'd never held a baby before, but somehow it felt right. "Hi there... little Buffy." Somehow, Faith knew that its name was Buffy, but she just brushed it off. "I only called you that because I relate B to tiny, chubby babies, okay?"

The baby smiled at her. It had ceased crying ever since Faith had picked it up.

"I think I must be dreaming."

A muffled voice came from the other side of the room. "No, you're not, Faith."

Faith quickly set the baby down and protectively stood in front of the cradle. "Who said that?"

The person let out a groan. "It's me, Faith." The room was illuminated in light as the figure turned on a lamp.

Faith's eyes slowly adjusted to the light as the person made their way over to her. Once she could see them clearly, she felt like passing out. "Holy shit."

The person laughed heartily. "Sweetheart, do you really wanna teach our kid that kind of language?"

"Our kid?" She blinked rapidly, thinking that he'd disappear if she did it long enough. "But you're dead."

The man shook his head. "You had that dream again. We got out of that mess, don't you remember?"

Faith closed her eyes as memories came flooding back to her. The demons had never come for Faith or Dean's soul. "Buffy. Buffy stopped the demons and broke the deal."

He smiled. "That's why we named our daughter after her. Because she saved our family."

Faith broke out into a gigantic grin. "Dean!" She squealed in a very un-Faith-like way as she leapt into his arms.

Dean laughed into her shoulder. "You need to stop worrying so much, wildcat."

Faith pulled back and looked at him sternly. "You agreed to stop calling me that."

"Only when you stop forgetting that I'm alive."

Faith felt a rush of happiness as she reached up to devour his lips in a lingering kiss. "Don't ever leave me."

"I won't. I promise." He smiled at her and kissed her for a second time.

"I love you." She nestled her head into his chest and wrapped her arms tightly around his body.

Dean just laughed and placed a light kiss on the top of her head. "I love you too, Faith Winchester."


End file.
